1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for disbursing fish food to a variety of fish in one or more fish tanks.
2. Description of Prior Art
The health of fish is dependent on numerous variables. In a controlled environment, such as an aquarium or a hatchery, it is important that these variables be met to provide living conditions sufficient for the fish to live healthy lives. The feeding of the fish is a prime constituent to their survival. Merely supplying fish food to the fish tank is often not adequate. For instance, when fish food, such as cubes or flakes, are dropped into a fish tank, the larger, more aggressive fish have a tendency to monopolize the fish food. This results in a gluttonous feeding of the larger, more aggressive fish and the undernourishment of smaller, less aggressive fish, both of which are unhealthy conditions. To insure that the less aggressive fish receive adequate provisions, the supplying of fish food is continued until the larger, more aggressive fish stop eating. This involves the ingestion of substantially more fish food than necessary for the larger, more aggressive fish, still an unhealthy condition. An apparatus which would dispense the necessary amount of fish food to all of the fish, reducing the risk of overfeeding or underfeeding would provide a healthier conditions for the all of the fish and would produce economic benefit for the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,340 issued Apr. 1, 1975 to Robert H. Lemond et al. discloses an air actuated automatic fish tank feeding system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,299 issued May 16, 1978 to Bernard Suchowski shows an air-operated fish feeder in which fish food is periodically deposited into an aquarium.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,182 issued Jan. 8, 1985 to Gunner Wensman et al. discloses a method and device for feeding fish including the transfer of fish food from a central food store to a plurality of feed locations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,674 issued Aug. 21, 1990 to Richard Young shows an automatic fish food dispenser allowing an outflow of fish food to a fish tank.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,536 issued Jan. 15, 1991 to James W. Powell et al. discloses an apparatus for directing a predetermined and measured quantity of food to be distributed to a fish pond.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,925 issued Apr. 2, 1991 to John D. Roberts shows a fish food dispenser for mounting on a fish tank for dispensing preset quantities of dry fish food onto the surface of the water.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.